Speaker Lujan Says He Has Cancer - Politics News Story - KOAT ...

POSTED: 12:29 pm MST January 17, 2012
UPDATED: 8:18 am MST January 18, 2012

SANTA FE, N.M. -- House Speaker Ben Lujan has lung cancer and will not seek re-election this year, the 76-year-old announced Tuesday in a dramatic opening of a 30-day legislative session. The Santa Fe Democrat, who has been speaker since 2001, made his announcement as shocked lawmakers wept and his wife, Carmen, and son, Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, looked on.Lujan said he was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and has undergone radiation and chemotherapy treatment. He said his cancer is now at stage 4, the most advanced stage."I was hoping to tell you the cancer is gone, but as you can see, it is not," said Lujan, who has served in the House since 1975.After Lujan made the announcement, lawmakers gave the speaker a standing ovation. Political differences were set aside, as Republicans and Democrats lined up with teary eyes to wish the speaker well."The speaker is a very dedicated guy. The fact that he's been going through this for a year quietly with none of us knowing about it shows that he's a tremendously strong individual," Rep. Tom Taylor, R-Farmington, said."It's tough, and we will rally around him and follow our speaker. And make sure he doesn't work too hard," Rep. Ken Martinez, D-Grants, said.Carmen Lujan wept as a long line of lawmaker and well-known political figures gathered to offer their thoughts and prayers to the family.KOAT Political Analyst Brian Sanderoff said Lujan, a Democrat from Nambe, was especially strong and effective during Gov. Bill Richardson's eight years in office."The people who worked with him on a frequent basis i think they suspected he had some illness but because of his dedication because he's a hard working man he tried to make as many meetings as he could," Sanderoff said. "He's not a man with a big ego in fact he speaks very softly but he carries a big stick as they say."Ben Lujan was the House's majority whip and majority floor leader before being elected speaker. He succeeded longtime Speaker Raymond Sanchez, who lost his seat in the Legislature in 2000."While this has taken a toll on me physically, it has not broken my spirit, my will, my faith and my commitment to New Mexico," Lujan said.Lujan also addressed his opponents -- critics who put him down for being absent from some meetings and not engaged during the election primary. He said he hopes this explains why.The speaker survived a challenge to his speakership last year when Rep. Joe Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, moved to seek his seat but dropped a bid for speaker because he couldn't attract enough Republican support to try to oust Lujan.Lujan said he will remain on as speaker, but in the event he resigns, it's up to the Santa Fe County Commission to appoint a replacement.The speakership is among the most powerful positions in the Legislature. The speaker largely controls the legislative agenda in the House and has broad discretionary powers in presiding over daily proceedings. The speaker also appoints chairmen and members of committees, which conduct much of the work of the Legislature by approving and rejecting bills.

Copyright 2012 by KOAT.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.koat.com/politics/30232890/detail.html

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